How to make BUD NOT motorize

[kelleyga]

I got a free 10 feet dish with all components.

I got it in the pole and all ready. It is a 17 feet pole so you can imagene it is kind of difficult for me to go up specially when I can not go on the roof because of the material the roof is made of may not be strong enough.

Once I set all up, I the motor or actuator was already all the way extended. Now trying to use all this hardware, I think the actuator is bad. I have a pansat 3500 and a Vbox.

1) How can I test to know if the actuator is bad? A friend told me to use a transformer and cut the end and connect the electrical cables (red and white) coming from the motor and attach them to the transformer ones. He said it would move it is it is good, otherwise it will be bad.

2) How can I make the 10 feet dish Not motorize? If I remove the actuator the dish will come down toward the pole. How do I do the elevation? For example if I want to mannualy point to PAS 3r, I can manually move the dish to it (120 degrees) but how do I manually elevate the dish to 37 degrees with is the required elevation?

 

[voomvoom]

I got a free 10 feet dish with all components.

I got it in the pole and all ready. It is a 17 feet pole so you can imagene it is kind of difficult for me to go up specially when I can not go on the roof because of the material the roof is made of may not be strong enough.

Once I set all up, I the motor or actuator was already all the way extended. Now trying to use all this hardware, I think the actuator is bad. I have a pansat 3500 and a Vbox.

1) How can I test to know if the actuator is bad? A friend told me to use a transformer and cut the end and connect the electrical cables (red and white) coming from the motor and attach them to the transformer ones. He said it would move it is it is good, otherwise it will be bad.

You can also use your car battery.

2) How can I make the 10 feet dish Not motorize? If I remove the actuator the dish will come down toward the pole. How do I do the elevation? For example if I want to mannualy point to PAS 3r, I can manually move the dish to it (120 degrees) but how do I manually elevate the dish to 37 degrees with is the required elevation?

There should be an adjustment screw for your elevation, built into the polar mount.

Al

 

[kelleyga]

Yes, there is a screw for elevation, but what I mean is that as soon as I remove the motor the dish itself will come to the pole.
If I understand right you mean that does not mater. the dish will be against the pole and I just move that elevation screw and using an inclinator set it to 37 degrees and that is it? Does not matter that the dish is against the pole?

 

[dfergie]

Remove the moter, there should be a shaft you can turn to get the dish away from the pole. (I have used an 18 volt hand drill to move mine)and you can also check the moter while off of the arm. And once you have the inclination set it doesn't matter where the dish is.

 

[kelleyga]

A shaft, what do you mean, like a Screw?? Sorry, I am still to new for this. But I can see a screw for declination and another one in a different place for elevation. But that is all...

 

[voomvoom]

I have used a pole (actually, a 2x4) to prop against the dish while attempting repairs. That might be hard to do at 17 feet above ground. But, as dfergie said, it doesn't really matter. If you already had the sats programmed, you would want to keep it on a particular bird, so you wouldn't have to reprogram it again.

Al

 

[dfergie]

The arm is shaped like a tube, it basically works (or most except birdview I think)like the jacks you use on trailers, in fact I had a hand crank for my first BUD before I got a moter. When you remove the moter from the tube or arm there will be a shaft inside the arm that meshes with the moter assembly. It might be possible and I have been eyeballing the jacks in the Rv section of Wally World and other places to modify one of those trailer jacks and make it work...

 

[kelleyga]

dfergi, I think I understand what you are saying. My mover is all the way extended, the motor makes noises when I connect the Vbox but the outer tube never gets in. It is oxidated in the outside so it looks stuck, that is why I think it is bad. but I have another one old one that was also given to me from the previous owner of the dish. That part is like the other one but without the motor part (the square black box where the cables connect). Maybe I can use that as the saft that you refer to, that one I can move in and out the outer tube. The previous ower said it was bad.

But I think I am also getting confused here with Elevation.

Whe I hear elevation I the only elevation concept I can think of is the ones for small dishes, like DTV or DNet. They use elevation to get to their satellites. On the big C band dishes after reading they also talk about elevation which I can adjust with the rod/screws. So for Tampa FL I found out it was 28.61, so I went to the dish and using an inclinometros/protractor I set it to 28.61. Now, If I want to get for example PAS 3r (without a motor) which is at 37 degrees, should I set that same elevation screw/rod until I get my protractor to 37 and them move the dish to the direccion of PAS 3R? Is that the same elevation, or it is 2 different elevations. I thought I had to set the elevation depending on my location, and then, the motor will move my dish to different elevations starting from that initial elevation. But it looks like then if I do not have a mover I can set that elevation rod/screw to whatever elevation I need and hold it there with something and then move the dish to PAS 3R. Is that correct?

 

[Metalhead]

If the actuator is bad, then

1) you will hear the motor turning in the actuator arm but the shaft will not go in or out, causing the dish to not move.

2) your connections inside the end casing of the actuator may have rusted if water got into it causing a short (not very likely, but it can be a possibility).

if you remove the end of the arm where the actual motor and wires are connected from the shaft you may be able to manually turn the shaft as the others have said. However if something inside the shaft is broken or rusted you are out of luck, you will have to put a new actuator on or leave it pointed in one position. I recommend putting a new actuator arm as this is so much easier in the long run, initially putting a NEW one on will be hard considering you are 17 feet up. But if you plan it out, it shouldn't be that bad. It will be alot easier if you have a friend help you. I just did that a few days ago but mine is only up a few feet and I've done it long time ago before.

 

[Metalhead]

dfergi, I think I understand what you are saying. My mover is all the way extended, the motor makes noises when I connect the Vbox but the outer tube never gets in. It is oxidated in the outside so it looks stuck, that is why I think it is bad. but I have another one old one that was also given to me from the previous owner of the dish. That part is like the other one but without the motor part (the square black box where the cables connect). Maybe I can use that as the saft that you refer to, that one I can move in and out the outer tube. The previous ower said it was bad.

But I think I am also getting confused here with Elevation.

Whe I hear elevation I the only elevation concept I can think of is the ones for small dishes, like DTV or DNet. They use elevation to get to their satellites. On the big C band dishes after reading they also talk about elevation which I can adjust with the rod/screws. So for Tampa FL I found out it was 28.61, so I went to the dish and using an inclinometros/protractor I set it to 28.61. Now, If I want to get for example PAS 3r (without a motor) which is at 37 degrees, should I set that same elevation screw/rod until I get my protractor to 37 and them move the dish to the direccion of PAS 3R? Is that the same elevation, or it is 2 different elevations. I thought I had to set the elevation depending on my location, and then, the motor will move my dish to different elevations starting from that initial elevation. But it looks like then if I do not have a mover I can set that elevation rod/screw to whatever elevation I need and hold it there with something and then move the dish to PAS 3R. Is that correct?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always read that your elevation is based on due south settings, and the dish will move east and west based on the elevation you've set. If you set the elevation on a satellite that is not due south then your east and west arc movement will be based on that satellite not the real east west arc (equator). Your arc will go from southwest to northeast. I believe Lyngsat has a place where you can check satellites (sat tracker), elevation and azimuth of your location to the specific satellite. Btw, Lyngsat says PAS 3R is at 43.1 W. Anyhow, its gonna be really hard to get that satellite from the americas.

 

[kelleyga]

I took it out, and it was a pain. Now I had to move the dish to be against the pole. I order a new one todya, should be here in 3 days. Then I will call 2 friends and install it. I had to make my own scaffolding. I had it next to the pole. Well, will have to wait to try again.

 

[kelleyga]

That is my question... That is where I am getting confused.

Maybe someone can clarify. But I think I understand it the same way you do. Elevation is dependent on your latitud. And then the motor will move the dish thru the arc and by doing this will change the elevation of the dish itself to get the other satellites. BUt inially we must set up the dish elevation rod/screw to an elevation related to latitud. Well, that is what I understood, maybe I am wrong.

 

[Metalhead]

That is my question... That is where I am getting confused.

Maybe someone can clarify. But I think I understand it the same way you do. Elevation is dependent on your latitud. And then the motor will move the dish thru the arc and by doing this will change the elevation of the dish itself to get the other satellites. BUt inially we must set up the dish elevation rod/screw to an elevation related to latitud. Well, that is what I understood, maybe I am wrong.

Yes it will look like the dish is changing elevations when moving east or west, but technically its not. Once your elevation is set for due south, you won't have to ever adjust it unless you are off. Once that is set, and you scan for satellites east or west, the dish will SEEM like its going up and down, but its not. So you are correct.

 

[shinnery]

Your dish should be rotating around two points or bolts on the mount. When you install the dish you want an imaginary line thru those two points to be aligned with True north /south. You then find a satellite as close to due south as you can get and set the elevation so the dish looks at it. Then move the dish off to one side and find another satellite as far to the side as you can find. Rotate the whole mount on the pole for the best picture. Go back and check the elevation on the south satellite. Check back and forth a couple of times only moving elevation when looking south and rotating the whole mount when off to the side. This should get you where can track the entire arc at least as far as your arm will allow. Bryce